How you prepare

To prepare for your breast self-exam for breast awareness:

• Ask your doctor for a demonstration. Before you begin breast self-exams for breast awareness, you may find it helpful to discuss the instructions and technique with your doctor.
• If you menstruate, choose a time in your cycle when your breasts are least tender. Your hormone levels fluctuate each month during your menstrual cycle, which causes changes in breast tissue. Swelling begins to decrease when your period starts. The best time to perform a self-exam for breast awareness is usually the week after your period ends.